Conrad Detrez

Conrad Detrez (1 April 1937, in Roclenge-sur-Geer – 11 February 1985, in Paris) was a Belgian (from 1982 on French) journalist, diplomat and novelist.

After being arrested and expelled from Rio de Janeiro in 1967, Detrez stayed some months in Paris, participating in the revolt of May 68.

Before his writing career Detrez translated books by the Brazilian writers Jorge Amado and Antonio Callado.

Poet James Kirkup found Le dragueur de Dieu "beautifully written in a fluent, lucid and visionary manner" and praised the mixture of religious sensuality and intellectual mysticism.

"Writers in other countries seem able to reconcile sexual and religious themes in their works in a way that is rarely found in English or American authors.

Detrez, the year before his death